


Baking For Peace

by broken_hearted_bard



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Colour-Changing Soulmate Marks, EWE, F/F, F/M, Ignores A Couple of Other Deaths Too, Ignores Dobby's Death, Ignores Snape's Death, M/M, Most Pairings Only Implied/Talked About/Mentioned, Multi, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, mostly canon compliant, post-Final Battle, post—hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2018-06-02 23:17:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6586855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/broken_hearted_bard/pseuds/broken_hearted_bard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the war, Harry abandons the Wizarding World (though not magic/magick) and opens a bakery.<br/>(Other tags may be added as they happen)<br/>(Other characters will crop up eventually)</p><p>This story is set six years after the final battle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pottering

**Author's Note:**

> Soulmate magicks are complex and intricate. They became popular in Britain during the war with Dark Lord Ash Bramamian in 1910. Soulmate magicks are almost entirely used in the UK, and are seen very rarely outside of it.
> 
> The soulmate spell, Anmicus Conjunae, is performed on the fetus in vitro and takes many years to come to fruition. There are several documented cases of the spell being performed on muggle-born witches and wizards sometime after the age of eleven.
> 
> In some cases, the Soulmate spell activates at the age of eleven, while in others it activates once the person's soulmate is born. In other cases, it activates once a witch or wizard has reached the age of 17. In still other cases, it activates at the age of twenty. There are no clear reasons or evidence why these activations are so different.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry runs/owns/operates a bakery.  
> **This is at least 6 years after the final battle, just fyi.  
> **Grimmauld Place will be referred to as Black Manor

Baking was what he had always liked best. Whether it was for the Dursleys tea-time or guests coming over or another affair in general, when his Aunt Petunia had demanded that he do the baking, he'd always liked it. It had been soothing -- especially in the days of starvation, chores and being hunted by Dudley.

In that way, it should not have been surprising to find that, once the war and its aftermath was done, Harry had left the Wizarding World and opened up a bakery.

 ** _Pottering_** sold cakes, cupcakes, scones, breads and a few signature pastries. Harry did all the baking, each day, from very late at night until very early in the morning. After stocking the cases, he opened the shop each day -- and he did it all without a single employee except for Dobby and Winky.

They were both bound to him, now. He'd had to bind Dobby to him in order to save his life from Bellatrix's knife. And Winky, well, she needed someone to watch over her, someone to give her tasks, someone to give her a place in the world. Living at Hogwarts had served a good purpose for her, but she'd never stopped sobbing -- until Harry took her on. 

Dobby and Winky had three days off a month and Dobby was paid two galleons a week. Neither of them baked, or were allowed to do the baking, and neither of them helped customers. Instead, they both cleaned and tidied, took pans and tins out of the ovens, grocery shopped (in the Wizarding world), tended Harry's little rooftop garden and restocked when there was no one around. They also took care of Harry when he closed each night and went upstairs to his flat above the shop. 

It wasn't as if they could help customers even if he wanted them too. Harry's bakery was in the muggle world. And, as such, he had to keep his house-elves mostly hidden during business hours.

He knew that Hermione would be angry [that he had more than one house-elf] and would likely yell at him if she knew, but Harry had abandoned more than just the wizarding world -- he'd also left behind the majority of his friends.

Additionally, Dobby and Winky coordinated with Kreacher a couple of times a month. Kreacher still served at Black Manor (Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place), but he served a different family. After the war, Harry'd asked Ron, Andromeda (and little Teddy) to move into the newly renovated Black Manor and they had accepted. Ronald Billius Weasley and Lavender Amelia Brown had married two years ago. Kreacher, and Black Manor, were still owned by Harry, but Harry had wanted someone, a family, to enjoy the house and to be able to take advantage of the kind of help Kreacher could offer.

He was pleased with the reports that Kreacher always gave to Dobby and Winky -- Harry was glad that Ron and Lav were doing well (and expecting a child), and he was thrilled that Teddy and Andromeda had settled into the home with ease and that they appeared to like being so much closer to Wizarding Britain.

But, for all his joy for them, he couldn't bring himself to be part of their lives. He just couldn't. The war had damaged him, changed him. The death totals, his own death, his talk with Headmaster Dumbledore, having been a horcrux...just, everything. He'd needed an escape, a way out, and as soon as he'd figured out how, he'd taken it.

The worst point in the war, for him, would always be the death of Severus Snape. It wasn't just the memories Severus had given him, and the truth he'd been pointed to. No, it was much worse than that. Just after his seventeenth birthday, he'd gotten his Soulmate mark. He'd assumed, for more than a year, that it would read _Ginerva Weasley_ , especially since she was so certain she'd eventually have his name somewhere on her body.

But no. He hadn't been that lucky. Things hadn't worked out that smoothly. Not for him, never for him.

Two days after his seventeenth birthday, the name had appeared, scrawled in tidy but cramped, dark-green script on the inside of his right thigh. _Severus Snape_. He'd nearly fainted upon seeing it. And, after viewing the man's memories, it had made an odd, slightly horrific kind of sense. After all, Snape hadn't been evil -- he'd been a spy. And he hadn't hated Harry -- he'd been in love with Harry's mum.

An odd, horrible kind of sense.

As Severus Snape bled out all over the floor of the Shrieking Shack, the writing on the inside of Harry's thigh had burned. Burned so badly, Harry had thought he might pass out, or worse, boot all over the dying man in front of him.

Neither had happened, and for that he'd been grateful. Later, much later, he'd removed his clothes and checked the mark. That was when the grief, the loss, the terrible, choking emotions had let loose. The name had gone a muted gray. As far as he knew, it was the same muted gray today as it had been six years ago.

Harry grieved anew, for everything that could have been and for all he would never know, every time he saw the mark now and so, in the hopes of self-preservation, he'd stopped looking at it. He hadn't seen it in years -- he went out of his way to avoid it (as he avoided everything else that was horribly painful).

 ** _Pottering_** was his safe-haven, his reason for being, and his own slice of peace. Away from the wizarding world, from the reminders of war and death. Away from everyone he knew, and far, far away from the memories he wanted desperately to leave behind. And he liked it that way, thank you very much.

Harry tied muted-green apron strings around his back and pulled his head through the top bit. He washed his hands for several long moments in warm, soapy water and then gathered his ingredients.

He always started with the pie dough -- because it had to set and chill before it could be rolled out, tucked in a tin and baked.

It was just after midnight, and he had hours of work yet before he could open his shop.

Harry began his day with his hands in a bowl of flour, cold butter, sugar, an egg yolk and salt. Rubbing them all together, with a bit of ice water if needed, until they formed a ball of dough. He set the dough aside, in one of the refrigerators, in some cling-film and then turned to wash his hands again.

The cakes and cupcakes were next, because they needed to be absolutely cool to be iced.

Winky cleaned along beside him as Dobby turned on the music-player that would blast Baroque music through the kitchen while Harry worked.

It looked as though it was going to be another nice, relaxing morning.

**********************

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag: Ignores Snape's Death --  
> Explanation: Harry doesn't yet know he's alive.


	2. Daily

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's daily bakery business.
> 
>  
> 
> OOC!Dobby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter added: 4/18/2016

Cakes, cupcakes and pies were out of the ovens and cooling.

Harry worked at his long stretch of marble counter on his signature pastries. The dough had been done the day before, as it needed to set in the fridge in between the steps to achieve lamination, and now he rolled it out for three, limited-amount, pastries. Puff pastry was easily the hardest thing that he made day in and day out, but Harry loved it. He loved the process of it, and how it always made sense -- even if the combinations didn't always work out.

The first pastry was croissant in shape, and filled with a dense strawberry and cream filling. The second was, again, most like a croissant and filled with dark chocolate and a hint of sea-salt. Finally, there was a thin pastry sheet that was covered in pastry cream and topped with halved blueberries and tempered chocolate -- a lot like mille-feuille, but without the different layers.

While he waited for the pastry-base and the croissants to bake, he began his donut dough. He served two different donuts each morning - one twisted into a braid-shape that was doused in cinnamon and sugar and one round donut, with the hole in the middle, that was simply glazed. The holes, left over from the second kind, would be served up with a dark-chocolate sauce.

Harry put the dough into the proofing drawer and then washed his hands while Dobby cleaned the counter and Winky washed dishes.

Out on the little patio behind his shop, he took a break with a cup of tea and a slice of toast.

***

During his break, Dobby took the pans of pastries out of the ovens and put them on their cooling racks. Winky separated the donut dough into strands for the twisted ones and punched out, with a cutter, the round ones and their holes. With the round donuts, Winky put them on a tray and then onto the warming rack for their second proof. She left the strands of donut-dough for Harry to deal with.

Although Harry didn't allow them to do the actual baking, he did encourage them to help when they saw he needed it.

Finished with his cleaning tasks, Dobby put all the ingredients Harry would need for the bread dough on the far end of the counter and then he headed up to the roof-top garden to tend to it.

When Harry came back in, Winky was working on two batches of fondant - one marshmallow, one regular - for Harry to decorate some of the cakes. He shook his head at her, but then smiled. He did appreciate all the work they did, even if he wished they'd do a little less of it. He'd never tell them so -- they'd followed him loyally into the muggle world and into his bakery idea, without question and without a word.

He knew they each spent time in the wizarding world -- he _was_ aware of where they did the grocery shopping after all -- but he was grateful that neither of them had ever mentioned it directly or asked him when he was going back. If he could help it, he wouldn't.

Harry took the donut dough that had been rolled into long strips and wound it together with a cinnamon-sugar paste. He put them all on a tray and onto a warming rack to proof a second time. 

He washed his hands again, and then went over his list for the morning -- checking off what had been done -- before washing his hands _again_ and turning to prepare the bread dough.

Besides the bread, Harry also had scones to bake, and cakes and cupcakes to ice and decorate -- as well as the blueberry-chocolate puff-pastries to finish assembling. He looked at the clock and sighed. He wasn't sure he had enough time to do all of that and put together the batches of coffee and hot chocolate that he sold alongside, and he still hadn't stocked anything.

Somehow, time had run away from him today.

"Winky," he said softly.

Winky blinked and looked over at Harry. "What can Winky be doing for Master Harry?" she squeaked.

Harry resisted the urge to rub his freshly washed hands over his face. He hated, absolutely hated, being called _master_. But, since it was the proper title for a house-elf to bestow upon their master, he couldn't get Winky to stop it.

"I need your help, if you don't mind," he said gently. "Can you do the crumb coating for the cakes and then ice the cupcakes? -- You know where the list is."

Winky nodded, her eyes bright. "Winky would be very pleased to help Master Harry!" she exclaimed and then rushed off to do the work he'd asked of her.

Harry sighed. Well, at least that would get done and in a hurry. He returned to his bread dough.

***

After the bread dough was put in the proofing-drawer to rise, and after the pastries were completed and stocked in their shiny case on their food-grade golden foil, Harry made the scones. He sold two types -- one savory with chives and cheese; one more plain, with the addition of some lemon and orange zest.

Then, he fried up the donuts. When that was finished, he glazed the regular ones and dusted the cinnamon ones in cinnamon-sugar, before putting them out front, along side the scones -- in their prettily patterned food-grade paper.

All that was left was to bake-off all the bread and then decorate the cakes and cupcakes. He had one order to fill, but he'd take care of that last as it wasn't due to be picked up until near his closing-time.

Harry turned to fetch out the loafs of proofed bread and put them in the ovens. He was too late though, Winky had already taken care of it. The ovens were fired up on their bread settings and the loaves looked like they'd just gone in. The timers were set for an hour. He smiled.

"Thank you, Winky," he said.

"Winky is happy to do as Master needs," Winky replied.

Harry nodded.

Dobby popped back into the front of the large kitchen a moment later. "The harvest is put away, and dinner is prepared for later -- under a stasis charm," he said. 

Dobby's patterns of speech had changed over the years, largely because of the years he'd been free. Although he was no longer a free elf, due to Harry's saving his life, he and Harry had a bargain that made him as free as he could be. Harry asked Dobby to do things, instead of telling him to. Dobby got time-off, pay and a benefits package.

The laws in the wizarding world had changed since the war, and now creatures were much more protected and had rights they hadn't had before. Harry knew he owed Hermione, and her husband (Draco Malfoy -- it had been a surprise when they'd discovered they were Soulmates), to thank for that.

Winky had refused pay, but she took her time-off and the benefits package with glee. 

"Thanks, Dobby," Harry said.

Dobby gave a little bow. "You should take better care of yourself, sir," he said.

"I'll try," Harry replied. He nodded and Dobby popped away again. Harry heard him, out in the front, stocking the cold-storage. They kept chocolate milk, regular milk, almond milk, and soy milk as well as orange juice and apple juice for the customers. Harry knew that Dobby would stock the other items they kept on hand as well -- packets of butter, sugar, salt, english mustard; napkins, wet-naps, paper cups and forks, knives and spoons.

Winky brought over three cakes, a tray of cupcakes, fondant, tempered chocolate and bowls of their base icing and set them all out in front of him.

"Almost time to open, Master Harry," she said. "And this needs done!"

Harry grinned. This was one of his favourite bits -- he used a little bit of magic to help him create the icing, chocolate and fondant decorations for his cakes and cupcakes.

"When the breads are done, can you put it them in their baskets and stock them out front?" Harry asked.

Winky nodded.

"Great, good. Ask Dobby to brew the coffee too, please," he replied to her nod.

Winky smiled. "Dobby is a good elf," she responded before popping away.

Harry nodded. "Yes, he really is," he said to no one before he began to decorate.

***

With everything baked, decorated, stocked, filled, and brewed, Harry had only the ordered cupcakes to finish. They were already baked and cooled, they just needed their frosting and subsequent decorations.

Dobby and Winky retired to their rooms in the flat upstairs (which were created using wizard-space) as Harry got on with the order. He'd be opening about ten minutes late, but that couldn't be helped today. He'd gotten started just slightly later than his usual, and he'd pay for that by opening a tad late.

These cupcakes were chocolate, filled with a peanut butter filling, and iced with a thin amount of chocolate frosting. Harry rolled out marshmallow fondant to the size he needed, cut out circles of it and smoothed one circle over each cupcake.

When he was finished with this step, he moved onto the next. Using his wand and a series of simple charms and transfigurations, he created the likeness of Winnie the Pooh, and other Pooh characters, with fondant, chocolate and frosting on each cupcake.

A thin, brittle spear of spun-sugar art completed each cupcake.

The batch complete, Harry put each cupcake, with painstaking delicateness, into a large, specially-formatted bakery box. He then sealed it shut, labelled it, and put it on a cooling rack.

Harry washed his hands again and then went upstairs for a quick shower and a change of clothes. On his way back down, he put on another apron -- this one a muted, pale purple.

He flipped the 'closed' sign to 'open', turned on all the lights and unlocked the doors.

As he stepped behind the serving counter, with its rows of pretty baked goods beneath glass surfaces, his first customer of the day walked in.

************************

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4/20/2016  
> A/N -- I've got people excitedly guessing that Harry's first customer is Severus. I'm so sorry. It's not. It's just one of his regulars -- it was just meant to indicate his day had started.  
> Thanks! And again, sorry!


	3. The Next Step

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How is Hogwarts doing six years after the war?
> 
> Short chapter to get us back into things.

Hogwarts stood tall and proud on the cliff-side, and was also extended down the mountain on one side and out onto the flat plateau below it on the other, with two new wings. To muggles passing by, it would no longer look derelict or decrepit, instead it would look like a large castle and the flags waving from its topmost towers would indicate it had some formal use. However, they still would feel no urge to journey up to it. If it was ever asked about, muggles would be told it was a private school for gifted students -- highly selective in its candidates and extremely expensive.

The staircases no longer moved or changed; that bit of magick had been abandoned to make room for other, more important, spells and enchantments. Instead, the main body of the castle (the original structure had been repaired where repair was needed) housed eight floors, not including the dungeons, four towers and a short walk away was the Owlery. 

An extension from the second-floor library housed students and professors that stayed at the castle all year. The Memorial Wing had been almost entirely paid for by Harry Potter and a plaque at its entrance denoted the names of the fallen. A second extension, The Phoenix Wing, pushed out onto the grounds opposite the greenhouses and housed additional classrooms, storage rooms for supplies, a small armory and additional student-housing. 

The Quidditch Pitch had been moved several miles away, onto grounds newly owned by Hogwarts school. Beside it stood a small house for the new caretakers of the castle -- Bradbury Argus Filch (Argus Filch's son) and his wife Elmira Anne Filch. 

Hagrid's hut no longer stood by the Forbidden Forest, and he no longer held the post of Gamekeeper and Keeper of the Keys. Three years before, Rubeus Hagrid and Olympe Maxine married in a small ceremony in the Swiss Alps and they now lived in the French countryside and were expecting their second child.

The post of Gamekeeper and Keeper of the Keys now belonged to Dennis Creevey and Care of Magical Creatures was taught by first-time Professor Daphne Greengrass. 

The changes to the school were immense, and not just in its overall geography and architecture. The entire curriculum had seen an overhaul -- offering more mandatory classes and more electives overall and trying to find a balance in making sure that muggle-born or muggle-raised children were equally included and informed.

The sorting ceremony still took place, but each first-year student was roomed with a third or fourth year student mentor for their first year, regardless of house affiliation. Dormitories were no longer large rooms housing 4-8 students, but instead were double rooms housing only two students and there was a team of Head Students, one 7th year student from each house, who had their own, solitary rooms.

There were still common-rooms by house and activities and classes taken together by house affiliation, but the complete segregation of students by house had stopped. All students were encouraged to make friends in other houses, and putting the first-year students with an older student from a different house aided in this process.

The previous Headmaster's office had been made into a sort of Headmaster Museum. It contained all of the previous Headmasters portraits and any personal items they had left behind, as well as an impressive collection of autobiographies, biographies and memoirs from the men in question.

As Headmistress for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Minerva McGonagall had her office on the ground floor, just off of the Great Hall in what used to be the Antechamber where they used to bring the first years to await being sorted. It was magically enhanced and expanded, and a staircase at the back led up to Minerva's first-floor suit of rooms. Her husband, Professor Claude Aquist, taught History of Magic (Professor Binns retired two years previous).

********

In expertly tailored clothes and robe, Severus Snape paced the area in front of the Headmistress's desk.

"Do be still, Severus," Minerva said gently as she stared at him. 

"You are staring again, Minerva," Severus responded, not unkindly. "It is difficult for me to be still, these days, whilst being stared at."

Minerva laughed. "You used to be so poised and composed, Severus. Hardly giving a thing away, let alone nerves. What brings you to my door on such a cold, October evening?"

Severus stilled and, instead of pacing, slid into one of the two armchairs in front of her desk. "I have somewhat of a....problem, and I need your help. It has come to my attention that you are the acting leader of the Order of the Phoenix. That it was not disbanded. I felt it...possible, quite probable, that you might have the information I need," he said at last.

"What is it that you need my help with, Severus?" Minerva asked.

"I need to find someone, and I have...I have depleted all of my sources of their information and still I have not found...whom it is that I seek," Severus explained.

"When your portrait never filled in, beyond the lab and books, we had assumed you were still alive, somewhere. I am pleased to find you so well," Minerva said evasively.

Severus lifted a hand to the pale scars on his neck and rubbed them slightly. "Yes. I....it was rather a near thing. In fact, in order to recover from the....incident, I was technically dead for an entire twenty-four hours," he replied.

"I am sorry to say that there are those that still believe you to be dead, however," Minerva explained.

"Ah. Yes. I....that is best, in many cases. My life is very quiet, and I like it the way that it is, for the most part," Severus said quietly. "I do not wish to disturb anyone's life, Minerva, but I must find him. Will you not help?"

"Who is it that you seek?" Minerva asked, though she had a very good idea already of whom they were speaking about.

"Mr. Potter. Harry. I need to find him. Do you have any leads?" Severus asked.

Minerva sighed. "Mr. Potter left the wizarding world four years ago and has not been seen, nor heard of, since, Severus."

Severus stood and put his hands on her desk. He leaned over slightly. "That does not mean that you do not know where he is, Minerva."

"No, it doesn't," she replied. "Are you sure you need to know?"

"Yes," came Severus's terse reply.

"Very well," Minerva said. She shook her head. "Go lightly on him, when you find him, Severus. He is damaged. And he is not aware that I have known where he is, that I have visited him. Please do your best to not disturb the peaceful life he has tried so hard to create."

"I give you my word, Minerva, that I need to find him and that I will do my best not to cause him undue harm or turmoil," Severus responded.

Minerva handed Severus a slim scrap of paper and then said, "There's the address. If you have need of work, I do have the post of Deputy Headmaster available. It doesn't pay as much as a Professorship, but....it's yours if you want it."

Severus grasped the slip in his hand and held tight to it for a moment before shaking his head. "That won't be necessary, Minerva." He looked up, into her face, for a moment with an unguarded expression. "Thank you, for this," he said softly.

"He is happy, with his life such as it is, and he is very, very good at his craft, Severus," Minerva said. "Don't be too unkind. He has suffered....a great deal."

It was Severus's turn to sigh. "I won't be unkind, Minerva. I need his help." He looked at the slip of paper. "What is _Pottering_?"

Minerva laughed. "You'll find out soon enough."

********************

TBC


	4. Saturdays At The Shop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Saturday at Pottering.  
> (Note: Harry owns Pottering under the pseudonym Evan Black Fleamont)

Harry loved Saturdays. They were his favourite day of the week. Saturday was the second busiest day, after Friday, for business at _Pottering_ and Harry loved it, despite that fact. He was always in a rush and always nearly out of time, but he still, overall, enjoyed the day.

Saturday was the day he gave away all of his stock from Thursday and Friday. Additionally, the only stock he sold was experimental - recipes he was trying out, flavours he wouldn't stock regularly, things like that. Monday through Wednesday, Harry donated any left over stock (pastries, breads, cakes, biscuits) to one of the dozen shelters and food pantries all over the United Kingdom that he liked.

It wasn't hard to keep his shop afloat -- it was located in Belfast, along a busy street in a pretty crowded neighborhood -- but even if it had been difficult, Harry would still give away as much as he did and he would still have these experimental Saturdays because, well, they were fun.

Harry used magic to secure and create the decorations for his cupcakes and cakes, and he also used his own formula of, for lack of a better name, _plant-magic dust_ to stabilize or infuse any pastries, puddings or trifles that contained fruit. Muggles wouldn't notice or be affected by the use of Harry's patented cookery and baking dust, but it kept the fruit from bleeding into other ingredients or soggying up the base of a fine pastry. 

On Fridays he sold three varieties of Challah bread added to his traditional offerings. He also used a pinch of the dust in his bread dough - but only if the dough needed to be braided, because the dust would ensure the dough didn't get overworked with the shaping and braiding. It wasn't as though there was a terribly large population of Jewish people in Belfast (there wasn't), but Harry liked to offer his clientele something different and he liked putting a twist on the classic by flavouring the Challah with poppy and lemon or orange and cardamon. Besides which, he enjoyed braiding the dough.

Today, alongside the stock he was giving away, he was selling: moist banana-bread cupcakes with peanut butter filling, peanut butter frosting and a banana-caramel drizzle; dark chocolate, chocolate chip muffins with an Oreo-cookie crumble on top; and mini lime-curd tarts with a chocolate pastry base. Also in the selling-case were: savoury, mini quiches with cheese and herbs; a half-dozen Snickerdoodles and a half-dozen Oatmeal Raisin biscuits (both of which he had an additional dozen in the back for restock); and two kinds of filled donuts (one with a strawberry jam filling, one with an Oreo-cookie cream filling).

His give-a-ways for the day included a variety of fruit tarts; a loaf of rye bread; two loaves of sourdough bread; a selection of bread rolls of varying flavours; the left-over Challah from Friday; a dozen chocolate chip biscuits; two pies (one north-American apple, the other cherry and currant); and a dozen assorted cupcakes.

Harry checked the cold-storage out front and restocked the milks and juices before starting the coffee pots and the hot chocolate.

He doubled checked that everything was clean, organized and stocked before he went back upstairs. After a shower, a change of clothes, and a brief check that Winky and Dobby were in their quarters, Harry opened up the shop.

The first customer walked in just as he was tying muted-yellow apron strings around his back.

"Good morning, Mrs. Greer!" Harry greeted as he moved back behind the counter and washed his hands. "What'll it be today?"

"I do love your Saturdays, Mr. Fleamont," Henrietta Greer replied as she looked over the case. "I'm going to clean you out of the free bread rolls today, my dear, I have company coming 'round for lunch. Ah, and I'll buy half-a-dozen of the banana, peanut-butter cupcakes, please."

Harry grinned and took out, from a shelf below the cases, two bakery boxes. One was specially designed for cupcakes and would fit six cupcakes (he had sizes that would fit 3, 6, 9 or 12). The other box had little slats that created rows and would fit nine bread rolls. He boxed up her selections.

"Anything else?" he asked as he totaled up the prices for each. After inputting the 100% off discount for the rolls, he quoted her the price.

"No, dearie. That will do me today," Mrs. Greer replied as she took the bag of goods he handed her in exchange for her payment.

Harry handed her the receipt and gave a friendly wave as she left.

As she sailed out the door, Mrs. Greer called back over her shoulder, "Make sure you get out into this beautiful Saturday weather we're having, young man!"

Harry laughed a little and prepared to wait on the next customer.

***********************

TBC


	5. Information Gathering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus goes to find out more about Harry Potter -- he goes to the people who, at one time, knew Harry best.
> 
> A/N: There has been a timeline change. This story is now set six years after the Final Battle.  
> A/N2: Miss Thornton is a witch and a housekeeper of sorts.

The acres of land, with its small cottage, that Severus Snape lived on were just outside the Dartmoor National Park, on the outskirts of Okehampton. The cottage was two stories and housed two parlours, a small kitchen, an equally tiny library, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The land, about six acres, also comprised a small greenhouse and workroom, with a large cellar located below it that Severus had turned into a potions lab.

It had been willed to him by Albus Dumbledore and, as such, he had changed very little about it. Some of the bright, colourful flowerbeds had been changed into beds of potions ingredients, and the small pond was stocked with water plants rather than fish, but the overall decor of the cottage remained largely unchanged.

The land was well-warded, and kept apart from the muggle encampments around it. Severus journeyed into Okehampton for groceries and supplies, but for the most part he lived a quiet, solitary life. His owl-order potions business, _Potions Anonymous_ , kept him fairly well-off as did his inheritance from the Prince family line. His Uncle, Archibald Brogan Prince, had died a few years earlier and had left him the remains of the family fortune. A small amount, when compared to other Pureblood family lines, but not any less appreciated by Severus.

And now, Severus was about to mar his nice, quiet life with a trip to a small, Magic-only town just outside of London. He'd visited twice before, in the years after he'd recovered from his long illness and injury. Once to make sure that Draco knew he was alive and well and once to get to know Draco's wife. The fact that Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy were soulmates was a bit alarming, but once he'd spent some time with them -- it made sense.

The four-story Victorian-styled house sat on a tree-lined street with several other houses of the same design. It was an older neighborhood, but a pretty one. The outside of the home was a soft, pale pink, with white trim. Vines climbed up the walls, towards the large front-windows. 

Severus mounted the steps. He knocked briskly and waited for the door to open.

"Master Snape," Ophelia Thornton said as she opened the door. She wore a smart, well-tailored, black pants suit and a crisp, gray apron. Her hair was pulled ruthlessly back.

"Miss Thornton," Severus greeted with a slight bow of his head. "Is Lady Malfoy at home?"

"Yes, of course," Miss Thornton replied as she led Severus into the house and then into the first-floor parlour on the right-hand side. The ground-floor was one floor below them and contained the kitchen, storage rooms and servants' quarters. Currently, Draco and Hermione employed Miss Thornton, two maids, a cook and a man-of-all-work.

Severus stood at the window, waiting for Miss Thornton to come back with Lord and Lady Malfoy, with his back to the room.

"Godfather," Draco said as he entered the parlour. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Severus turned and nearly let his mouth drop open at the sight of Hermione. She was hugely pregnant.

Hermione smiled at Severus's expression and then lowered herself into an armchair. "Carrying twin boys," she explained as she rubbed her rather-large belly. "I've sent Miss Greeves for tea, Master Snape, if you'd sit."

Severus nodded, but directed his reply to Draco. "I need a bit of assistance and was hoping your lovely wife might accommodate me," he explained.

"Is it relating to legal advice? Are you in need of a solicitor?" Hermione asked.

"No. Not as such. I merely hoped you might have some information for me. I am looking for someone," Severus replied.

Miss Greeves, a pale, brown-haired girl no older than nineteen, wheeled a tea-cart into the room. "Shall I pour-out, Lady Malfoy?" she asked quietly.

"Just leave it there, we'll see to it, Miss Greeves," Hermione responded. Once Miss Greeves had left, Hermione used her wand to pour-out and also to assemble herself a plate of sandwiches and scones. "Who is it you're looking for, Master Snape?"

"You may call me Severus, Lady Malfoy."

"And as I have said before, you may call me Hermione, Severus," Hermione replied.

"What's going on, Severus?" Draco asked.

"I need to find Harry Potter. I...I wanted to know what you, both of you, know about him now and what he did after the war," Severus said after a long moment.

"Why?" Hermione asked as she applied herself to her plate.

Severus stood slowly. He really hadn't wanted it to come to this, but he felt as though he owed Draco and Hermione a forthright, honest answer. He undid the cuff-link on his right wrist and slowly pulled up the sleeve. Then, he unclasped a thick, black band from around his wrist. He had kept his soulmate mark hidden since he'd received it - at age eleven. He'd bared it to no one, save Headmaster Dumbledore.

He approached Hermione slowly and then practically shoved his wrist in her face. At her gasp, he pulled back, snapped the band back in place and righted his sleeve. 

_Harry James Potter_ was written in slanted, cramped printing in colours that ranged from gold to brown to maroon, on the inside of his wrist.

"Has it always been Harry?" Hermione asked.

Severus shook his head and sat back down. "No. It changed to his name during his first-ever Potions class."

"Your soulmate is Harry bloody Potter?" Draco asked, incredulous.

Severus nodded.

"But it used to be someone else?" Draco continued.

Again, Severus could only nod.

"Who?" Draco asked.

"Lily Evans," Hermione said softly. "It could be no other. She was the soulmate of two people?"

"Yes. Until her death," Severus replied.

Hermione sat back against the chair and then nodded. "For the entire first year after the war, Harry helped rebuild Hogwarts and attended certain trials. He gave testimony in some, and weight towards sentencing in others. Then, he went with Ron and I, and others, to finish his education when Hogwarts re-opened. At the end of what is affectionately termed "Eighth Year," he vanished."

"Alright. Is there anything else you know that you can tell me?" Severus asked.

Hermione sighed and then slashed out with her wand and muttered the summoning charm. A folder with the Hogwarts crest on it flew into her hand. She flipped it open after setting down her cup and plate. "He cleaned out two of his Gringott's accounts and one of the Black accounts as well. The others were monitored for a while, by the Auror's office, and it seemed as though he'd been getting updates on the remaining accounts. One was entirely diverted to Hogwarts. Another was entirely invested in a large orphanage. His taxes were monitored for a long while as well, and the only thing that has been reported on them in the last four years is Black Manor, the interest from investments, Sleekeazy's and a sum of money deposited monthly, from Aberforth's."

"Aberforth's? As in Aberforth Dumbledore?" Severus asked. "The Hog's Head?"

Hermione nodded. "It's called Aberforth's now. Harry worked there, contributed a few menu items, redesigned the business for Aberforth, really, while he was helping to rebuild Hogwarts. It's a themed restaurant now. Every menu item contains some form of goat's milk. It's a restaurant by day and a pub by night, now. Harry helped do that. He helped a lot, just after the war, with revitalizing Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, things like that."

"After all of that, he just...fled?" Severus asked.

"It appears so," Draco added. "Hermione and I discovered we were soulmates during Eighth year. Ronald and Hermione broke up a few months before that. Miss Lovegood went to University in New York, in America. Neville Longbottom and George Weasley began courting, due to their soulmate bond. Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas got married right after we graduated."

"People's lives moved on where Harry's just seemed to...stop. Ginny and Blaise found out they were soulmates just before Harry left too. I think...I think it was all very hard for him. He wanted to move on with his life. He never, not once, mentioned having a soulmate mark. I think everyone just assumed he...didn't," Hermione said.

"He may not," Severus said quietly.

"Yes, I have read that can happen," Draco added.

"What about his friendships with you and Mr. Weasley?" Severus asked.

"We just drifted. Ronald hated the fact that I am Draco's soulmate. And we never really recovered our friendship after our...relationship. Still, Harry tried to take care of us. He tried to take care of all of us. Ronald and his wife, Lavender, live at Black Manor with Teddy and Andromeda Black-Tonks. Harry testified at Draco's trial, at mine, at Ron's, at a lot of others as well. He tried to fix as much as he could, but...I think he felt like it was never enough," Hermione explained.

"The Ministry put you on trial?" Severus asked.

"While we were rebuilding Hogwarts, yes," Hermione answered.

"A lot of members of the Order of the Phoenix were tried -- mostly for misuse of magic or for use of restricted or Unforgivable magic," Draco explained. " _Benenine Isle_ , off the coast of Northern Ireland, was converted into a Prison. Death Eaters and Death Eater Sympathizers were held at Azkaban, with the remaining Dementors, while all other people, if they were sentenced, were sent to _Benenine Isle_."

"Molly Weasley did six-months at _Benenine_ for Unforgivable Curse use. I did three months for the use of Restricted magic," Hermione said softly.

"The Ministry believed the only person actually exempt from Prison time, from punishment, was Harry Potter -- as he'd saved our whole world. Everyone else was tried. If found guilty, you served a sentence. My trial was early in the year," Draco said. "Harry spoke at it, on my side. I served an aborted sentence - six months at Azkaban. But, then, the new school season started and the Ministry amended my sentence to having to go back and finish my schooling. I was only allowed to do school-related magic, I was never allowed to leave campus, and I had to room with Ronald and Harry -- as part of my punishment."

"How did I get a full pardon?" Severus whispered.

"It was assumed you were dead. Harry used your memories, as well as a vial of memories Headmistress McGonagall had from Dumbledore, as well as statements by students and other evidence that we were not made privy to, to clear your name. Harry had Minister Breakenbatch include in the pardon that it would apply _regardless of the status of your life -- living or dead_. We're not sure what else he did to ensure your freedom, should you be found alive. He never told us," Hermione replied.

"Alright," Severus said. He didn't know what else to say. It sounded like a nightmare.

"My mother did six months at Azkaban for Death Eater activity, even though she never took the Mark. My father is still there - and will be, for the rest of his life. He was not able to claim the Imperius curse again, because the Ministry devised a way to tell for sure. A three-part method to see if you have been under the Imperius curse," Draco said.

"Why did we not speak of this before?" Severus asked.

"You were just getting back on your feet," Draco said.

"You needed time. We wanted to wait until you asked," Hermione replied.

"Alright. Is there anything more you know about Mr. Potter?" Severus said at last.

"If you want more information, you should go eat at Aberforth's. Also, you could speak to Ronald. Considering he lives in Harry's house, he might know more," Hermione responded.

"I will," Severus said. "What did he, Harry, study in his final year?"

Hermione shook her head. "He took core classes, and a couple of the new classes. He took his NEWTS. He did really well on them, though I'm sure he isn't aware of it. He worked for Aberforth on the weekends. We...we didn't see him much. Everyone else was working hard too, and when we weren't...we all kind of paired off. I hate to say it, to even feel it, but...we fell down on the job. We left him alone."

"It was not your job to look after him, Hermione," Draco chastised.

"Wasn't it?" she replied sadly.

"If that's all, I'll be on my way. I still have things to do today," Severus said as he rose from the settee.

"When you find him...tell him we miss him," Hermione said.

As Severus left, he wondered if he should have told them where Harry was. Well, where Minerva thought he was, actually. It would be a long trip to Belfast, actually. Better to stop by Black Manor first and see if Ronald Weasley had any more information. Would talking to Ronald be worth it? Should he take such a risk when he didn't want it getting around that he was alive and well?

Instead of heading straight to London, which would have been easier, Severus apparated back to his cottage. In the meantime, while he figured out what to do, he had work to finish.

**************

TBC


	6. The Blessing of Luna Lovegood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus seeks out Luna.
> 
> Short chapter, just to get us back into things.  
> Only two chapters to go after this. :)

Severus had met Ron at Madam Puddifoot's in Hogsmeade, where they'd had a tense discussion over coffee and Ronald had revealed more details of Harry's last couple of years in the Wizarding world.

Ronald had then invited him back to Black Manor, but Severus really hadn't wanted to be confronted with Lavender Brown-Weasley, Andromeda or little Teddy.

Instead, Severus used what he'd learned from Ronald and made himself an illegal portkey to the states. He had one more information-gathering session, and then he'd be going to see Harry - regardless of what he learned.

**

Severus knocked on a large, round, red door in a magickal neighborhood squashed next to Brooklyn, New York. He waited impatiently for it to open, taping his foot. When it did, he couldn't hold back his smile. However odd she was, Luna had always been one of his favourite students. She saw magick no one else did and was determined to understand it, and that attitude had helped her be a top potions student.

"Miss Lovegood," he said softly.

Luna grinned. "Master Snape, it's Mrs. Scamander now," she replied.

Severus nodded. "May I come in?"

She stepped back and opened her arms in welcome. 

He sailed through the door, into a large, square room. There were doors along the left wall, a huge fireplace on the back wall, and the right wall was covered in some kind of reflective material.

"You're here about Harry," said Luna.

"Of course," came Severus's reply.

"Stella!" Luna called with a sort of giddy laugh. A short, skinny woman wearing an impressive array of rainbow-coloured robes came out of the first door on the left.

"Mistress Scamander?" she asked in a soft, whisper of a voice.

"Bring tea, please. The almond, Severus prefers it. And the little chocolate biscuits, please," Luna requested. "And please let Rolf know I'll be up here, in the main house, for longer than we'd planned."

Stella gave a slight curtsy and went back through the door she'd come in from.

"You have servants. I hadn't expected that," Severus commented.

"Just Stella, actually. We have a couple of interns too, to help with the animals, but, really, Severus, this isn't what you came here for. You want to know about Harry and about me and Harry," she said.

Severus nodded, but waited until the tea was served and Stella had gone away once more before he spoke.

"You aren't surprised at my being alive," he stated.

"I'm a Seer, so, no I wasn't the least bit surprised," Luna responded. "Now, ask what you came here to ask. You're among friends, it's okay."

Severus sighed. "If you knew you weren't soulmates, why did you and Harry...become partners?"

"That isn't exactly what you want to know. What you want to know is if he has your name written on his body, and I can't tell you that." Luna sighed. "I can tell you that he was an excellent lover, for that time period and that age. I can tell you I loved him and he loved me, but we were never in love. I can tell you he _does_ have a soulmate mark, but he kept it hidden the entire time we were together."

"Did you discuss me, at any point?" Severus asked.

"He often spoke of you. How he wished he'd understood you, your role, during his education. How he wished he'd been able to talk to you, back then. He commiserated your passing, and could not believe me when I told him there was a possibility you survived. He knew he could talk to me, Severus. Because he knew you'd been one of my favourite professors, even with your irascibility," she explained.

"Do you think he will be open to seeing me, to speaking with me, to at least hearing me out?" Severus asked quietly.

"I think he'll be angry that you've kept yourself hidden for so long. I think he'll be happy that you're alive. He'll wonder what it means for him, for the both of you, and he will wonder who your soulmate is, regardless of what his own mark says," Luna replied.

Severus nodded. "I think that sounds...fair."

It was Luna's turn to nod. "I am a partner in his bakery, but I don't go giving out his address or location, Severus. If you want to locate him, you'll have to ask someone else or find it on your own."

"So he does own a bakery then?"

"Yes. He does very well. He's very skilled, and he seems happy. I get an update once a month and I get a percentage of the profits. I occasionally help review the menu items or help him decide on a way to go. Rolf's father's godfather is a baker, here in New York. So, we do communicate fairly regularly. I think I'm the only magickal person he talks to aside from his House Elves," Luna said.

"He has House Elves?" Severus asked.

Luna smiled. "Dobby and Winky and Kreacher are all bound to him. He saved Dobby's life."

"They help him, then?" At Luna's nod, Severus continued. "I am please he's not all alone."

"He's as alone as he could get," came Luna's reply.

"Thank you for the tea and biscuits, Miss Lovegood," Severus said as he rose. "I think I'll be going now."

"Tell him hello from me, and that he's loved. He'll get past it, Severus. Faster than you might think. But, if you never start, if you never try, then the two of you will miss out on something wonderful," she said quietly as she got up and led him to the door.

Severus nodded. "Thank you for the advice."

"You have my blessing, if it matters to you, Severus," she commented.

"It matters," he replied. "Thank you."

"Anytime," Luna said and then she leaned over to give him a kind of half-hug.

**********

TBC


	7. Making Amends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus talks to Harry.

Severus sat across the street on a park bench. He'd been there for hours already, and it was only due to the aid of cushioning charms and a warming charm that he was capable of continuing to sit there.

He hadn't known when Harry's shop, _Pottering_ , opened and as it turned out he'd been hours early. He hadn't been in time to see the back lights come on or anything, but he'd been watching from afar as Harry prepared pastries and baked goods. Muggles wouldn't be able to see through the front to the back room, but Severus wasn't a wizard for nothing.

The spell was temporary and only lasted for about twelve minutes before Severus had to recast it, but it'd given him a really good look into Harry's life. He'd watched Winky help prepare baking pans and stock the front room. He'd seen Dobby pop up to the rooftop garden and begin tending it. He'd watched in awe at the many breads, pastries, pies, cakes and cupcakes that Harry made throughout the morning.

Then, he'd sat there when Harry went to the front room and opened the bakery for the day. It had been open for a number of hours now, and Severus was still sitting on the bench, in the park, across the street. He couldn't bring himself to move, yet. He was extremely pleased to see Harry doing such a brisk business, to see him grin and chat so casually, to see him shine. It made him wonder where on earth he could even begin to fit into Harry's world. A world he knew nothing about.

Severus sighed and left the bench. He'd go get something to eat at the cafe he'd seen around the corner and down the street. When he was done, maybe he'd have built up the courage to seek Harry out -- before the shop closed.

***

The bell above the door sounded right as Harry came out from behind the counter with every intention of closing for the day. 

"I'm really sorry," Harry said as he shifted a large basket in his hands. "But we're just about to close." He out on his nicest smile and his best customer-is-always-right voice, but he didn't look up.

"That's quite alright, Mr. Potter. I have no need for your shop to be open for what I need," Severus said gently.

Harry faltered and was glad the basket was empty when it crashed to the floor. His magick leaped out and the windows cracked all around them. "Fuck!"

"An excellent sentiment, Mr. Potter," Severus replied as he waved his wand and the windows repaired themselves. "Now that the dramatics are over, could you perhaps continue in your closing duties so that we might talk?"

Harry picked the basket up and then went to the front door. He flipped the open sign to closed and locked the door. He turned around. "Are you real?" he whispered.

Severus nodded. "I am, indeed, real, Mr. Potter."

"Tell me something about you that only I would know," Harry replied as he moved away, back towards the counter.

"You once invaded my privacy by looking into my pensieve during Occlumency lessons. But, what you learned there changed a fundamental part of your world and I should have tried harder to teach you," came Severus's reply.

"Another. Another thing, please," Harry said.

"The last thing I wanted to do, before I succumbed to the coma, though you thought I was dying, was to look into your eyes," Severus said softly.

"I...I thought you just w-wanted to see my mother's eyes before you died," Harry said. He took a deep breath. "Let's...let's go up to my apartment. I can....I'll set the elves to cleaning up for the night, and...okay?"

Severus nodded.

"Dobby! Winky!" Harry called. When they popped into the room, Harry gave them each a gentle smile. "I need you guys to do the cleaning up, and then the setup for the morning -- the enriched dough for tomorrow needs to rise overnight, and the laminated dough needs some work too. You guys know what to do, yeah?"

"Winky always knows what to do for Master Harry's business," Winky replied with a little laugh.

"We're happy to do what you need, Master Harry," Dobby replied.

"Okay, great. Thank you." Harry turned to Severus. "If you'll follow me up?"

"Master Harry should remember that Winky is off tomorrow. Winky can be here, if Master needs," Winky said quietly as Harry led Severus into the back.

Harry turned around. "I remember, Winky. It's okay. Take the day, as usual."

Winky nodded and then went to help Dobby in the kitchen. 

Severus followed Harry up the back stairs and into his apartment. It was tidy, well-decorated and small, but the view out the balcony doors at the back of the living room was gorgeous.

***

"It's got two bedrooms, not counting the little apartment for Winky and Dobby, the living room is pretty small, though, and the kitchen is minuscule, but since the kitchen downstairs is huge, it works. Their place is through that door by the fireplace. It's not on the floo-network, obviously, so it's small, just an added heat source to the living room, and there's one in each bedroom, a fireplace that is..." Harry rambled as he led Severus into the living room.

"Stop babbling, Mr. Potter. I understand my appearance has...upset you. It's alright," Severus said gently.

"I..." Harry's eyes filled. "I'm happy you're alive, Professor Snape."

"You may call me Severus."

Harry gave a slight smile. "Only if you call me Harry."

"Alright....Harry." Severus sat down in the lone armchair in the room.

Harry took the small sofa. "Where...where have you been?"

"Albus left me a well-protected cottage. Poppy made sure I made it to the cottage, and my House Elf, Mimsy, who used to belong to my mother, and is the last remaining Prince elf, tended to me." He sighed. "I was in a coma for more than a year, and when I came out of it, I had very far to go, recovery-wise."

"And after that?" Harry asked quietly.

"I have spent the last few years brewing potions and selling them through an owl-order business, with an alias. I've led a very quiet life, Harry. I didn't want...I still don't want to upset your life. And, at the time, I thought you were living out your life, happy and fulfilled in the magickal world. I apologize," Severus explained.

"Thank you. For apologizing. I...I thought you were dead. It....hurt." Harry was in shock, he couldn't seem to get over the fact that Severus Snape was sitting in his living room. _Severus was alive_!

Harry jumped up from the sofa. "I'll be right back. Uh. If you want tea, the kitchen's tiny, but through that archway, and if you need to avail yourself of the loo, it's down that hallway, first door on the left. The second door is the guest room. You're more than welcome to...to stay for a couple of days, if you like," he said as he rushed away.

He raced down the hallway to the only door on the right and pressed his hand to the aged wood. It opened and he disappeared inside.

Severus sighed. He knew it wasn't going to be easy, but he really wished there was something he could do or say that would make it all easier for the young man.

***

In his bedroom, Harry stripped out of his trousers and pants and exposed the inner part of his right thigh to the floor length mirror.

"Oh," he gasped. He covered his mouth with his hands.

His soulmate mark was no longer gray, but green -- as if it had never gone gray in the first place.

Harry sighed and put his clothing back on. He needed to get a grip and figure out why Severus was there in the first place.

Why now? What could Severus possibly need or want from him? And how on Merlin's earth had he found Harry?

************************ 

TBC


	8. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus has some confessions to make, but not the one you want. :)

"When did you learn to bake?" Severus asked when Harry rejoined him in the small living room.

Harry gave a wobbly laugh. "I...learned growing up. With my aunt and uncle. But...I'm self-taught. I haven't had classes or anything. A lot of experiments, a lot of baking, and a hobby of watching muggles bake on television -- when I could."

"Why did you decide to open a bakery in Belfast?" Severus asked.

Harry fidgeted for a moment before answering. "I wanted somewhere close to Britain, something with a rich history, that was still governed by the UK. Uh, and I'd been here once before, on holiday during Eighth Year -- with Luna." He sighed. "I liked it. I liked the cafe around the corner."

"And your business...it's doing well?" Severus felt awkward and anxious. He hated small talk, but he didn't know what else to say.

"It's going very well. I love it, and the people here seem to love it too." Harry rose from the sofa and went into the tiny kitchen. It housed a refrigerator, a gas range, a sink and one stretch of counter. It was enough counter for his dish drainer on one side, his electric kettle on the other, and a blank space for food prep in the middle. There were, however, a number of cabinets along the walls.

Severus rose and followed him into the kitchen. He leaned against the archway.

"I'm going to make tea. It's almond, is that okay?" Harry asked.

"That sounds nice, thank you," Severus replied.

Harry got down two cups and then turned and pulled out two tea-sachets from a frog-shaped jar behind his electric kettle. He put the baggies in the cups and then turned and grabbed a platter out of the fridge. "I've got some sandwiches too. Uh, I'm sorry, but I don't eat dairy in my regular life. I taste my baked goods and things for the shop, and I use butter and milk and eggs in most of my products. But, I don't eat it regularly. So. I have vanilla soy milk for the tea and the sandwiches are seitan or tofu salad with lettuce, tomato, avocado and mustard. Hope that's alright."

"It sounds fine, Harry," Severus responded.

Harry finished assembling the tea and took it and the sandwiches into the living room. He set it all down on the coffee table and resumed his seat. The two men sipped and ate for several minutes before either of them spoke.

"Why are you here, Severus?" Harry asked once he was finished eating.

Severus rose and took the dishes into Harry's kitchen. He reset the preservation charm on the sandwiches and put the platter back in the fridge. He set the dishes in the sink and then turned and went back into the tiny living room and resumed his seat.

"I needed to see you. To know you're alright. I wanted to make sure you're happy and well," came Severus's reply.

"Did Luna tell you where to find me?" Harry asked.

Severus shook his head. "I did speak to Luna, but, no, she didn't give away your location."

"I can't begin to tell you how happy I am that you're alive. I don't know how to tell you how sorry I am that I didn't do more for you, that night. I am forever grateful for your memories. And I'd like to return them. But, Severus, really. How did you find me?" Harry shifted on the sofa and gripped his hands in his lap.

"Minerva made me aware of your location," Severus replied.

"Headmistress McGonagall knows where I live and work?" Harry's voice rose on the last word.

"She visited, in her cat form, a couple of years ago. As far as I'm aware, she's told no one else where you are. I had to convince her I deserved to know. I spoke with Hermione, Draco, Ronald and Luna as well. Only Luna and Minerva knew where you were, and only Minerva told me," Severus explained.

Harry let out a sigh of relief. "Good. I don't want anyone knowing where I am. As much as I love magick...I'm done with that world. I loved them, I saved them, and they didn't do anything for me. I mean, not even a thank you. So. I'm happy that they're happy. I'm so glad to find out that Draco and Hermione are having kids, that Ron and Lavender are expecting, that everyone's okay. That George is recovered. But, I'm not going back. I'm never going back."

"I didn't come here to fetch you, Harry. You don't ever have to go back. I give you my word," said Severus.

Harry nodded. "Thank you. Now. It's late, I need to be up very early to start my day and open the bakery. Was there something else you needed?"

"It's only half past five, it isn't late." Severus frowned and looked at the clock.

"I get up at midnight. At the latest, one in the morning. I am usually in bed by five, sometimes four-thirty, depending on the day. The elves help me a lot, but I do the majority of the work by myself, and because I sell largely to muggles, I don't tend to use a lot of magick in my work," Harry explained.

Severus nodded. He had wondered why Harry closed the shop at three o'clock, but now it made sense. He rose. "Is the offer to stay the night still good?"

Harry smiled gently. "Of course. There's a tv in your room, and extra blankets in the trunk at the foot of the bed. The top dresser drawer has fresh towels in it. Anything you want to eat in the kitchen is yours. In the morning, you should come down to the bakery for breakfast. Tomorrow is the day we do sandwiches all day, along with the other offerings. Two types of scones. You might like it. So, I'll try not to disturb you when I get up."

"Don't worry so much about disturbing me. Thank you, for letting me stay. We have a lot to talk about, Harry." Severus looked around the small room. "Would it be alright if I tour your rooftop garden?"

"Of course. Oh! You'll enjoy the night-blooming section, and there's a section of edible flowers as well." Harry smiled and then moved down the hallway. "I'm going to catch a shower and go to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

Severus smiled at Harry's retreating back. He hoped he'd made the right choice in choosing not to show Harry his soulmate mark. Surely Harry would have mentioned it if he'd had Severus's name somewhere on his body? The fact that he hadn't must indicate that Harry's soulmate was someone else. 

Either way, Severus felt it would have been really inappropriate to tell Harry. Harry had seemed really sad. Resigned, but sad. Not angry, as Severus had expected. He'd seemed weary. Like he expected at any moment for Severus to take him back to Hogwarts or something. 

Severus headed up to the rooftop garden. It was larger than he'd thought it would be, but ruthlessly organized and thriving. He toured the plants for quite a while before heading back inside.

He went down the hallway and into the guestroom. It was small, but lovely. The bed was a double, and looked comfortable. The furniture looked old, but well cared for. The little muggle tv was fancier than he'd expected, but he was grateful for the distraction. He hadn't packed for an overnight stay, and would have to transfigure some of his clothes into a nightgown.

There were books lining a singular shelf that was bolted to the wall. He perused the titles and approved -- a mix of magickal and muggle fiction books.

He settled in for the night.

******************

TBC


	9. Making it Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry tends to the Bakery and then Harry and Severus talk.
> 
> *picks up several hours after where we left off.  
> **only the epilogue is left to go after this. :)

At just after one in the morning, Harry got up. He showered, prepared coffee for Severus for the morning, and then had a cup of tea and a single slice of toast with a thin layer of jam. He placed a preservation and warming charm on the French press coffee pot, and then headed downstairs.

Dobby and Winky were busily cooking and cleaning around the kitchen, and doing way more work than Harry typically assigned them. 

He wasn't mad or anything, just a little stunned. They had orders not to do the actual baking, but it seemed that hadn't stopped them from doing the majority (almost all, truth be known) of the prep work while he'd been sleeping.

"Master Harry!" Dobby greeted as he punched out donuts. A pan stirred itself on the stove behind him. 

"All the breads and pies and cakes are ready to be baked, Master Harry," Winky said as she continued to prep ingredients for the sandwiches they'd serve that day. "Winky will be going on her day off now, unless Master needs her to stay."

"That suits me fine, Winky. You've done such a good job, thank you. Enjoy your day," came Harry's reply.

Winky gave a little bow and then apparated out of the shop.

Wednesdays were difficult for most people -- it was the middle of the week, and most people were already looking towards the weekend, but weren't quite close enough to it yet. Harry tried to offset the mid-week slump by having one day filled with sandwiches, along with his usual fare. Fridays and Saturdays were his busiest full days in the shop, but Wednesday was easily his busiest morning. The community seemed to love his breakfast sandwich options added to the everyday menu.

"The puff pastry is ready for you to assemble the pastries, Master Harry, and you will need to get to the scones, sir," Dobby said.

"Dobby, thank you, for your hard work. I really appreciate it," Harry said as he put on an apron and washed his hands. He turned to one of the refrigerators and removed the laminated dough for the pastries. "Go on break and then run any errands. I've got this for the next couple of hours. I'll need some help when it comes to the sandwich setup, but that's not needed until about four."

Dobby bowed and grinned at Harry and then apparated away. 

Harry switched on the radio to the classical music station, washed his hands again and got to work.

***

At three, Dobby came back to help him with the setup for the sandwiches and to help him reorganize the shop for the additional tables. A little bit of magick went a long way towards it _seeming_ as though the shop suddenly had more space than it did, and none of the customers had ever questioned how the extra tables, and the extra space at the condiment and coffee bar, fit.

Harry moved one small table into the corner, with its chair having its back to the wall. He added a sash over the chair that said "reserved" and a little sign that said the same on the table too. He included the day's menu, a set of silverware, and a little basket full of goodies -- packets of golden syrup, mustard, brown sauce, ketchup, three kinds of sugar, salt, pepper, and mayonnaise.

The smells of butter and sugar and berries and chocolate permeated the air around the bakery, but it would soon be usurped by bacon and potato and veggies and eggs.

Before opening this morning, he and Dobby would usually have a full breakfast upstairs, but today, since Severus should still be sleeping, Harry settled for a thick sandwich and a soy-milk latte at a little table in the back.

Harry grinned and moved back into the kitchen. He loved Wednesdays.

***

Severus sat at the table Harry had reserved for him and perused the sandwich menu. The bakery was abuzz with conversation and noise around him, and while he was very glad that Harry's shop was doing so well, he longed for the use of magick so that he wouldn't have to hear it. And although he could use a few spells to keep himself apart, he felt it'd be disrespectful to Harry's choice to have his business in the muggle world to do so.

He ordered the small tea-service, with a personal pot of Assam tea, which was his personal preference aside from English Breakfast. He also enjoyed Matcha Green and Castleton Darjeeling teas, but he had those much less often as they weren't as easy to find, and could be considered special or rare. The small tea service came with two kinds of scones (savoury and sweet), an assortment of mini muffins and two kinds of sandwiches (one egg and bacon, one of a vegetable variety).

The table was set with many of the things he liked to put on scones, and he'd requested both clotted cream and butter for his additional toppings.

Two papers were presented for his reading enjoyment, _The Quibbler_ and _The Belfast Ledger_ , and Severus had also brought down one of the novels he'd found in his room, in order to be able to successfully occupy his time until Harry might be done for the day. It was half-past ten in the morning, and he felt it would shape into a very nice day, indeed.

***

At three, Harry closed the shop. He and Dobby cleaned for about forty-five minutes, and then he sent Dobby off to rest and relax.

Harry took a seat across from Severus.

"So," he braved. "You never told me why you were here. What do you need, Severus?"

Severus took a last sip from a new pot of tea -- a vanilla blend, without any caffeine -- and looked up at Harry. He allowed his face to soften. "You," he replied.

Harry frowned. "What do you mean, you need me?"

"Just as I said, Harry. I'm not one to mince words. I came to find you because I need you. I had hoped you might need me too," Severus said, laying his cards bare.

"I'm not sure what you mean," came Harry's reply. His face had paled.

Severus sighed. "Let us not belabor the point." He dragged up his sleeve, unclasped the bracelet on his wrist, and turned his arm up, laying it on the table. Plain as day, _Harry James Potter_ was written across his wrist.

Harry gasped and shoved away from the table. "Is this some sort of trick?"

Severus shook his head and stood as well. "Of course not, you foolish man, I would not trick you. I would not put myself in this sort of vulnerable position for mere levity."

"It's not foolish of me to be absolutely gobsmacked that _I'm your bloody soulmate_ , Severus Snape!" Harry cried.

Severus resumed his seat. "No, I suppose it's not. But do leave off the dramatics. If my name is not written somewhere on your body, then that's acceptable. I'll go and leave you in peace. I will not bother you any further."

"Oh, Severus, of course it is!" Harry confirmed. "Don't be a prat. It's been there, on my leg, since before you died nearly in my arms. I...I don't....I've wanted..."

"Well, then," Severus said as he grinned up at Harry. "Seems like there's only one real solution to this problem." 

Severus leapt up, grabbed onto Harry and swept him into the best and longest of embraces.

When they finally parted lips, Harry pulled back and out of Severus's arms.

"What now?" Harry asked quietly.

"We get to know each other as we are now," Severus said softly. "And we make it right."

***************************

TBC


	10. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The epilogue. (So, so short).
> 
> WARNING: Mpreg in a way. I haven't written it into the chapter, but the pregnancy is due to temporarily-transfigured body parts and potions and charms, rather than some sort of natural, magickal male pregnancy.
> 
> NOTE:  
> This might be the last thing I write for a long while. I wasn't even going to post this, but I felt I owed it to my fans and avid readers. And, it was already half done -- in my head. So, better to get it done. However, there's been a death in my immediate family (on 4/2/18) and it's really broken me. I can't think. Can't concentrate. Can't focus on anything but the loss and the pain and the inevitable whys and hows and omgs. Breathe, just breathe. But, I can't. So. Yeah. I'm probably not gonna be updating anything for a long while. I have WIPs on-going, at the moment, but....I just can't. The words, they aren't there. This chapter was hard enough.

**Five Years Later**

_Farefell Cottage_ hadn't changed very much over the years. It had expanded onto some of the acreage around it, as needed to include additional bedrooms and kitchen space, but otherwise it still had the design touch of Albus Dumbledore and it still looked like a cottage from the outside.

Harry brushed his long hair up and out of his face and into a ponytail. He leaned over the stove and slowly stirred the sauce for dinner. Dipping in a spoon in a quick movement, he tasted and then grinned. "Perfect," he muttered to himself.

He turned off the stove and set a stasis charm. He rubbed his very round belly for a moment, soothing the baby within and walked out of the kitchen.

A black-haired child, whose hair was wild like Harry's, played quietly on the floor with little cars.

"Griffin?" Harry asked as he lowered himself to the floor. "What's the chase today?"

"Bank was robb'd, Daddy," Griffin replied and tilted his head up to look at his Dad. "So the poh-leese are chasin' after the crimnals."

Harry laughed and leaned forward to ruffle his son's hair. "It's a muggle operation today, then?"

Griffin's wide, yellowish-green eyes gleamed with mirth for a moment and then he nodded vigorously. 

Harry levied himself up off the floor with a tiny bit of wandless, non-verbal magick, and then said, "Well, your father will be home soon, my little love, so you'd better clean that up and come with me to help me set the table."

Griffin nodded again and began bouncing and swaying back and forth as he put his toys gently in the toy box.

When he was finished, the little boy raced into the dinning room to help his dad. "Is Brody and Maris coming?"

Harry shook his head. "No, Griff, not tonight. We're having a special night at the bakery, so Brody and Maris are both working. But, they'll probably come over for lunch on Sunday."

Griffin grinned and then sat on the floor. "Can we have the blue?" he asked.

Harry grinned. "Of course we can have the blue," he replied as he got the set of blue eating-ware down from the hutch. "We can always have the blue, if you want it, my little man."

Suddenly the front door to the cottage opened. Harry set down the stack of plates and turned. He smiled.

Severus came through the kitchen and into the dinning room. He bent down and swooped Griffin up into his arms. "Griffin Elon Snape, what are you up to?" he said softly as he wisked Griffin through the air.

Griffin squealed. "Helpin' Daddy set the table!" 

Severus turned to Harry, settled the little boy on his hip and leaned forward.

Harry and Severus kissed for several long moments, before pulling back.

"And how are you and our daughter doing on this fine Thursday evening?" he asked smoothly.

Harry smiled. "A little tired. Very hungry. We're all exceedingly glad you made it home for dinner."

"The castle is extremely busy right now, and Minerva has turned more and more duties over to me. I'm here as much as I can, love," came Severus's reply as he set Griffin back on his feet.

"I know, Severus. It's genuine delight, not a dig, I promise."

Severus nodded. "Well, then....let's eat."

Harry lifted Griffin into his chair and settled him at the table before walking back into the kitchen.

Severus followed. "How was he today?" he asked quietly.

"Good. We had a really good day, Sev," Harry responded warmly. He rubbed his belly once more. "All of us."

Severus's arms came around Harry's waist and for a moment, they just held on.

"Mmmm," Harry said. "That feels nice."

"This is always where I want to be," Severus replied.

"Yeah?" asked Harry.

Severus turned him until they were looking into each other's eyes. "Always."

**************************************************************

END


End file.
